Challenge League Ninth Round

Vegalta Sendai take pole position as FC Takahashi falter

Vegalta Sendai Ladies  3 - 0  Je Vrille Kagoshima
(Attendance: 1,061)

Once again in front of an excellent crowd of over 1,000, Vegalta Sendai showed their promotion credentials with a convincing win over Je Vrille Kagoshima, who had very few chances in the game to make any impression on the scoreline.

Vegalta had to wait until the 43rd minute though, Nakahara sweeping home following an Ito header, and it was not until the closing stages that Sendai felt real comfort, Kakazu Asuka with two goals in quick succession, with Ito involved in both goals.

Sendai's win coupled with Takahashi's loss means that the positions at the top of the table are reversed, with another home game next weekend, Sendai will be in no mood to relinquish top position for the rest of the season.

Vegalta Sendai Ladies:
Saita Yuki, Nakamura Mami, Sakai Yuki, Osafune Kana, Ideue Asako, Shimokozuru Aya (capt), Uetsuji Yumi, Nakahara Saori, Kakazu Asuka, Yasumoto Sawako, Ito Minako
Subs: Koyama Kie (Yasumoto Sawako, 72 mins), Yamamoto Risa (Nakamura Mami, 81 mins), Takahashi Nana (Kakazu Asuka, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Saito Ayaka, Tanaka Keiko
Scorers: Nakahara Saori (43 mins), Kakazu Asuka (80, 81 mins)

Je Vrille Kagoshima:
Eguchi Mika, Miyazako Fumika, Nijima Yuki, Kurahara Honami, Nakae Maki (capt), Niiho Madoka, Nozaki Ayumi, Shimada Naoko, Sannomiya Shiki, Imanaka Yuri, Nakashima Ayaka
Subs: Hamada Erina (Nakae Maki, 81 mins)
Unused subs: Moriwaki Satsuki, Mitsudome Kanami


FC Takahashi Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme  1 - 2  Sfida Setagaya FC
(Attendance: 560)

Having comfortably beaten Tokiwagi Gakuen, Sfida Setagaya once again defied expectations in defeating table-topping FC Takahashi. Takahashi had expectedly taken the lead in the first half, a free kick scored by Sugita Ami. However, Setagaya were not going to lie down and in injury time equalised through Tanaka Mariko, who headed home a Kawashima corner kick.

Tanaka, who hitherto had only scored one goal all season, struck again just before the hour mark to give Setagaya an unlikely lead. Takahashi pushed on looking for the equaliser but it was not to be, and they now find themselves second to Vegalta Sendai.

Both teams have big games next weekend, Setagaya travel to Sendai to play Vegalta, while the other Sendai team, Tokiwagi, travel to Okayama.

FC Takahashi Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme:
Yamamoto Ayaka, Takeda Arisa, Imanishi Azusa, Muramatsu Mafuyu, Koike Ayano, Takano Saki, Shigemasa Kai, Sugita Ami, Nishikawa Asuka, Takahashi Chiho (capt), Noma Fumika
Subs: Kamata Ran (Koike Ayano, 67 mins), Kanbara Misaki (Noma Fumika, 67 mins), Adachi Eriko (Muramatsu Mafuyu, 81 mins), Matsushita Fumiko (Shigemasa Kai, 83 mins)
Unused subs: Morimoto Kiyo
Scorers: Sugita Ami (26 mins)

Sfida Setagaya FC:
Kawaguchi Mana, Nagasawa Yume, Kawashima Tamai, Tanaka Marina (capt), Fukuhara Nao, Oshima Sayuri, Tanaka Mariko, Mori Hitomi, Nagasaki Akane, Ishibuchi Yuki, Sasago Masae
Subs: Minemoto Chizuru (Nagasaki Akane, 61 mins), Uchiyama Tomoka (Ishibuchi Yuki, 77 mins), Usuda Haruka (Oshima Sayuri, 83 mins), Kurokawa Hikari (Usuda Haruka, 90 mins)
Unused subs: Muramatsu Yuki
Scorers: Tanaka Mariko (45+1, 59 mins)


Tokiwagi Gakuen High School  3 - 2  JFA Academy Fukushima
(Attendance: 200)

JFA Academy got the weekend off to a dramatic start on Saturday when taking a two goal lead against much-fancied Tokiwagi within 15 minutes. Masuya Rika was again on target in the eighth minute, and Kojima Miku scored in the 13th minute - her third goal in three games.

Tokiwagi weren't to be beaten so easily though after their disappointing result again Setagaya, and struck back through Sasaki on 32 minutes - her first goal this season. First year student Kawasaki Saya again came of the bench at half time and turned the game around with two goals ten minutes apart, fellow half-time substitute Horii Mizuki supplying the final ball on both occasions.

This win keeps Tokiwagi in touch at the top, and gives them a four point advantage over Setagaya. Next week they face a huge task away to Takahashi. JFA Academy are in seventh and will be looking for full points against JSCL next weekend.

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School:
Hayashizaki Mei, Takamura Chisato, Okamori Kasane (capt), Okakura Mika, Nishikawa Ayaka, Hirata Miki, Matsuura Nagisa, Sasaki Miwa, Michigami Ayaka, Shiraki Akari, Ito Miki
Subs: Kosuda Rina (Nishikawa Ayaka, HT), Horii Mizuki (Shiraki Akari, HT), Kawasaki Saya (Matsuura Nagisa, HT), Tanaka Yasuko (Hirata Miki, 71 mins)
Unused subs: Fukumura Kanae
Scorers: Sasaki Miwa (32 mins), Kawasaki Saya (62, 73 mins)

JFA Academy Fukushima:
Hirao Chika, Yoshitake Manami, Norimatsu Ruka, Miyake Shiori (capt), Yamamori Anna, Moriya Miyabi, Narumiya Yui, Mizutani Yuki, Kitagawa Hikaru, Masuya Rika, Kojima Miku
Subs: Kadoi Megumi (Kitagawa Hikaru, 80 mins), Sunaga Manami (Kojima Miku, 89 mins)
Unused subs: Inoue Nene, Mori Sayaka, Kojima Hikaru
Scorers: Masuya Rika (8 mins), Kojima Miku (13 mins)


Japan Soccer College Ladies  0 - 4  Nittaidai Football Club Ladies
(Attendance: 110)

JSCL were once again outclassed this weekend, this time by Nittaidai, who will be pleased to have recovered so well following their heavy defeat to Takahashi. Ito Yukina gave Nittaidai the lead in the 24th minute with her first goal since the opening weekend, and with JSCL restricted to just two shots in the first half and one in the second, Nittaidai were never going to be unduly bothered at the back. Kudo Asami scored the second six minutes after half-time, and Oguri Mao scored her fifth and sixth to make it 4-0. Oguri scored just four in twelve game last season and will be pleased to have surpassed that average already. JSCL stay bottom, while Nittaidai move within three points of Takahashi who are second.

Japan Soccer College Ladies:
Fukada Ayami, Shinagawa Ayaka, Hayashimoto Saki, Takahashi Sakura, Hayakawa Kumiko, Toriumi Mai (capt), Sasaki Shiori, Sakaguchi Yuki, Shanou Miki, Nakayama Aoi, Usui Rika
Subs: Toyota Yuri (Usui Rika, 73 mins), Iwasaki Manami (Nakayama Aoi, 80 mins), Komatsu Akane (Fukada Ayami, 90+2 mins)
Unused subs: Goto Sanae, Matsumoto Hotaru

Nittaidai Football Club Ladies:
Yamamoto Arisa, Sakurai Mayuka, Yamagata Hisami (capt), Abe Rie, Nagashima Hikari, Oguri Mao, Ito Yukina, Shimada Chiaki, Ishii Chiharu, Kudo Asami, Uemura Shoko
Subs: Fujisawa Marin (Ito Yukina, HT mins), Yamana Maki (Nagashima Hikari, 56 mins), Kitano Rie (Ishii Chiharu, 57 mins), Ozeki Miyu (Kudo Asami, 65 mins)
Unused subs: Kamimura Aya
Scorers: Ito Yukina (24 mins), Kudo Asami (51 mins), Oguri Mao (77, 90+1 mins)


AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies  1 - 3  Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita
(Attendance: 115)

Shizuoka bounced back from their injury-time loss to Vegalta Sendai with a straightforward win over strugglers Nagano in front of the home side's smallest crowd of the season to date. A frenetic start saw Kanno Mie get her first goal in the fourth minute; two minutes later Uchiyama headed in an Urasaki corner to equalise. Ten minutes later Shizuoka were back in front, Okuda Mika scoring from a free kick. Okuda, who scored 13 goals in 15 games last season, scored again from a free kick in the 70th minute to give the travelling students all three points, in their fourth win of the season. Nagano stay 11th, with just one win from nine.

AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies:
Matsumoto Azumi, Sayama Marina, Tanaka Nami, Hatano Saki, Yamashita Mayumi, Urasaki Yuka, Murayama Yuri, Takagi Nao (capt), Hanabusa Misa, Hashiura Satsuki, Uchiyama Tomoyo
Subs: Kitagawa Minamo (Hanabusa Misa, 76 mins), Satou Kaede (Sayama Marina, 87 mins)
Scorers: Uchiyama Tomoyo (6 mins)
Booked: Sayama Marina

Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita:
Saito Kanna, Nishiyama Mei, Kitaoka Chiaki, Matsuno Miyuki, Iida Miku, Sayama Momoko, Kanefuda Anzu (capt), Ogata Yurika, Kanno Mie, Okuda Mika, Oda Kanna
Subs: Shirai Aoi (Kitaoka Chiaki, 58 mins)
Unused subs: Himono Chiho, Kinpara Reika, Komagata Nana
Scorers: Kanno Mie (4 mins), Okuda Mika (16, 70 mins)


Ehime FC Ladies  4 - 0  Bunnys Kyoto SC
(Attendance: 420)

Ehime crushed Bunnys Kyoto today to open a four point gap between themselves and the bottom four. Haruyama Saori was back in the starting lineup and didn't disappoint with a sixth minute goal. In the second half Ehime took control and Nishigawa Sayumi produced a surprising hat-trick to underline Ehime's superiority. Nishigawa has played in all nine of Ehime's games this season and these were her first goals. Bunnys next play fellow strugglers Kagoshima while Ehime are again at home against Shizuoka, two places above them in sixth.

Ehime FC Ladies:
Osako Hanako, Hagiwara Masumi, Onoyama Nana, Sato Hiromi, Ogawa Akari, Iwamoto Yuka, Yamashiro Miyuki, Akune Mana, Nishigawa Sayumi, Haruyama Saori, Nakada Maiko (capt)
Subs: Niwa Mizuho (Nakada Maiko, 75 mins), Ogawa Manami (Akune Mana, 80 mins), Senba Yuna (Nishigawa Sayumi, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Kushiyama Saki, Marugata Rie
Scorers: Haruyama Saori (6 mins), Nishigawa Sayumi (57, 77, 78 mins)

Bunnys Kyoto SC:
Isashi Kaede, Hanazaki Rena, Fujino Aiko, Ii Kiyono, Sada Fumika, Ukita Kotone, Yamashita Yu, Watanabe Juri, Kinjo Keina, Miura Kyoko (capt), Miyai Mina
Subs: Kawachi Erika (Ukita Kotone, 64 mins)
Unused subs: Akiyama Tomomi, Yanagimura Ayano, Fujimoto Ami